Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-13
AFTER STEWARDS ESTATE.
A Michigan Farmer Who Wants the
Dead MilIionaire's Money,
From. the Eep York Times.


From the FetD York Times.
DETROIT, MICH, April John G,
Faux, a small, squarely built man,
dressed in the garb of a workingman,
passed through Detroit last evening on
mis- way TO New York, to look up evidence
in support of his claim as an heir at law
10 the estate OF A. Il. Stewart. MIR.
Faux is a farmer, living in Byron town.
ship, Shiawassee county, and he traces
his descent from the Stewart clan
through his maternal grand
mother, Mrs. Mckernan, now
deceased, who, 1t is claimed, was
niece OF the dead millionaire, he having
brought her with him when he landed at
Castle Garden, about 1920. Faux seems
TO be possessed OF a fair degree OF 1ntelh-
gence and common sense, and from his
general appearance is not the kind OF
man TO spend mis- time and money chasing
a phantom fortune without some reason
able grounds for doing so. BY the death
OF Mrs. McKernan the strongest proof OF
relationship was lost, but enough re-
mains to make the case decidedly inter-
esting one.
Certain discrepancies exist In the story
of the Mckernan claImants-Faulk ia
only one of several--and known events
in the millionaire's career, but they are
or such a character as to strengthen
rather than throw discredit on their show
ing of klnship. According to his story,
in 1918 or 1919 Mrs. McKernan, then
Margaret Massey, pretty child of ii
years, was LETT an orphan by the death OF
her father, prosperous merchant Of Bel
last, Ireland. Her Oldest brother, Will
liam, succeeded to the business
and the estate, and took her to
rear as his own child. Among the
relatives of the Massey family were the
Stewards, in the County Tyrone, about 40
miles from Belfast. One OF them, Alex
ander Thomas, frequently visited the
Massey mansion at Belfast and took a
great liking to little Margaret. The Mas
sevs and the Stewards were not on the
most friendly terms, and Alexander
Thomas was tolerated rather than well
coined. He was not, however, denied the
hospitality of the house when In the city,
for the elder Massey looked upon him as
likely, nard.headed young man, who
needed but a little encouragement to
make his mark in the world. Early
in the twentieS young Stewart deter
mined to emigrate to America and en-
gagged passage several days ahead in an
outward bound vessel from Glasgow, but
ne had become so attached to bis fay0rite
niece that he made strenuous efforts to
persuade her brother to let her come with
HIM to this new and far-away country,
promising solemnIy to care of her Is a
tather Her brother, however, would not
listen to young Stewards entreaties. Dis
appointed in this endeaVor he still re-
solved to accomplish his purpose, and
when the boat came from the vessel TO
lake him and his baggage to the ship, he
easily persuaded her to take a ride in the
boat, and thus practically abducted her,
as she was taken with him to the vessel
and borne away from her native land.
No, : bo nj To- Cd ho
took her to his humble lodging. She wit.
messed bis early struggles while seeking
to get q start in the mercantile business.
She shared his frugal fare in the scantily
furnished living apartments back Of the
salesroOm. His time was never so Occu-
pied that he neglected the wants OF the
orphan child, and to The day OF his death,
when over sixty years had elapsed since
she had parted from him. she never for
got the tender care and attention that he
lavished upon her in the days OF his ad-
Versity.
Two or three years after arriving in the
country Margaret committed a mortal
ofense in the eyes OF her protector BY
marrying an Irish Catholic named John
Mckernan. She was then but 10 or II
years old. She was too high spirited to
appear before him in the light OF a suppli-
cant for pardon, and her husband felt In-
dependent with the whole world before
him, as herself They removed shortly
alterward TO a suburban town on the
Hudson, The enlargement between the
city merchant and his former ward was
partially healed, and he frequently sent
her various articles of clothing for her
self and her baby. His feeling toward
her husband, however, never releuted.
In 1929 McKernan and his young family
Joined the Western tide of emigration
and settled In Mortified, Washtenaw
county, Mich, afterward locating at
White Oak, lngham county. Mrs. Nc
hernan's recollection of her self cOnsti-
tuted guardian grew dim as years went
by, and she came in time to think OF him
only when the scenes other childhood re-
Verted to her mind. There was no cor
respondence. AS far as she was aware,
ne might be dead. She heard in later
Years of A. t. Stewart, of New York,
whose fame as a successful business
man was known throughout the world,
ana she occasionally wondered in her de
Ginning days whether he was Alex ander
l0Omas Stewart, her uncle. (The name
OF the millionaire merchant was Alexan-
der Turner Stewart.) HE spells his
name the same way" she would say.
and, according to the newspapers, he is
me same stern, cold-natured man that
tne Stewart | knew was.'' Her oft-ex-
pressed desire to meet him was never
S'"'iuSui anu sue Qleu III 1910 al ner
daughters home in Williamson three
years before A. t. Stewards death.
%, This Is the case as set forth by Faux.
Inc question Of putting in claim for a
lew hundred thousand of the estate, more
or less, has been discussed at intervals
ior years, but nobody seemed inclined
heretofore TO 90 to the metropolis and
make demand on the executors, but as
works. slow on the farm just now, Faux
made up his mind 10 take few
weeks and look into tue matter.
DE says, candidly, that he thinks he
uas small show of getting any OF
Lne estate, even if his grandmother
relationship should be proved. but he
would like the satisfaction of learning ii
sgch relationship really did exist. Mrs.
MchernSn lett a large family, among
mem eX sheriff Thomas McKernan, OF
dhEaam county; eX-RepresentatIve John
Y, hchernan, OF tho Upper Peninsula,
anu capt. Philip Mckernan, recently de.
ceased, who was formerly a well-known
lawyer at Mason. Faux says the other
nelrS nave contributed to pay the cost oil
'u'estlgatlng the claim.
EATEN by "TUD TIGERO